April 2, 2006
In statistical mechanical investigations on complex networks, it is useful to employ random graphs ensembles as null models, to compare with experimental realizations. Motivated by transcription networks, we present here a simple way to generate an ensemble of random directed graphs with, asymptotically, scale-free outdegree and compact indegree. Entries in each row of the adjacency matrix are set to be zero or one according to the toss of a biased coin, with a chosen probability distribution for the biases. This defines a quick and simple algorithm, which yields good results already for graphs of size n ~ 100. Perhaps more importantly, many of the relevant observables are accessible analytically, improving upon previous estimates for similar graphs.
Similar papers 1
July 24, 2007
We introduce and study a class of exchangeable random graph ensembles. They can be used as statistical null models for empirical networks, and as a tool for theoretical investigations. We provide general theorems that carachterize the degree distribution of the ensemble graphs, together with some features that are important for applications, such as subgraph distributions and kernel of the adjacency matrix. These results are used to compare to other models of simple and compl...
January 31, 2011
We generate new mathematical tools with which to quantify the macroscopic topological structure of large directed networks. This is achieved via a statistical mechanical analysis of constrained maximum entropy ensembles of directed random graphs with prescribed joint distributions for in- and outdegrees and prescribed degree-degree correlation functions. We calculate exact and explicit formulae for the leading orders in the system size of the Shannon entropies and complexitie...
October 27, 2001
The problem of defining a statistical ensemble of random graphs with an arbitrary connectivity distribution is discussed. Introducing such an ensemble is a step towards uderstanding the geometry of wide classes of graphs independently of any specific model. This research was triggered by the recent interest in the so-called scale-free networks.
August 12, 2009
We study the tailoring of structured random graph ensembles to real networks, with the objective of generating precise and practical mathematical tools for quantifying and comparing network topologies macroscopically, beyond the level of degree statistics. Our family of ensembles can produce graphs with any prescribed degree distribution and any degree-degree correlation function, its control parameters can be calculated fully analytically, and as a result we can calculate (a...
June 18, 2013
Complex networks are now being studied in a wide range of disciplines across science and technology. In this paper we propose a method by which one can probe the properties of experimentally obtained network data. Rather than just measuring properties of a network inferred from data, we aim to ask how typical is that network? What properties of the observed network are typical of all such scale free networks, and which are peculiar? To do this we propose a series of methods t...
August 31, 2006
We introduce a simple one-parameter network growth algorithm which is able to reproduce a wide variety of realistic network structures but without having to invoke any global information about node degrees such as preferential-attachment probabilities. Scale-free networks arise at the transition point between quasi-random and quasi-ordered networks. We provide a detailed formalism which accurately describes the entire network range, including this critical point. Our formalis...
June 14, 2006
In this paper we describe the emergence of scale-free degree distributions from statistical mechanics principles. We define an energy associated to a degree sequence as the logarithm of the number of indistinguishable simple networks it is possible to draw given the degree sequence. Keeping fixed the total number of nodes and links, we show that the energy of scale-free distribution is much higher than the energy associated to the degree sequence of regular random graphs. Thi...
May 17, 2004
We present an algorithm for generating random networks with arbitrary degree distribution and Clustering (frequency of triadic closure). We use this algorithm to generate networks with exponential, power law, and poisson degree distributions with variable levels of clustering. Such networks may be used as models of social networks and as a testable null hypothesis about network structure. Finally, we explore the effects of clustering on the point of the phase transition where...
July 4, 2003
It appeared recently that the classical random graph model used to represent real-world complex networks does not capture their main properties. Since then, various attempts have been made to provide accurate models. We study here a model which achieves the following challenges: it produces graphs which have the three main wanted properties (clustering, degree distribution, average distance), it is based on some real-world observations, and it is sufficiently simple to make i...
March 24, 2011
One of the most influential recent results in network analysis is that many natural networks exhibit a power-law or log-normal degree distribution. This has inspired numerous generative models that match this property. However, more recent work has shown that while these generative models do have the right degree distribution, they are not good models for real life networks due to their differences on other important metrics like conductance. We believe this is, in part, beca...